Pedestrian fatally struck by train downtown

San Diego  A 45-year-old man was fatally struck by a southbound Amtrak train in an apparent suicide Tuesday morning near Little Italy, authorities said.

Traffic near the San Diego International Airport was heavily congested after the incident on the tracks between West Hawthorne and West Grape streets about 10:15 a.m., police Lt. Kevin Mayer said.

Both streets were closed for about an hour while authorities investigated.

The northbound track was reopened after about an hourlong closure, said Deborah Castillo, a North County Transit District spokeswoman. All train traffic resumed about 12:15 p.m., according to the transit district’s Twitter page.

The Amtrak 573 train involved in the incident is shared by Amtrak and the transit district, Castillo said. It was scheduled for a 10:42 a.m. departure that was canceled.

Coaster riders who participate in the shared rail-to-rail route were told they could use the Amtrak 777 train that departed at noon, she said.